The Girl Named Helen

Spending quality time at Abreeza last June 21, 2011. Kathy, Juvy, Helen and me

How would you know if you have supportive and true friends in your circle? Well, it's when they act like siblings more than friends, whose affection and level of understanding transcend expectations, when the sincerity of friendship is truly felt and when the care is always there despite distance and time that divide your existence.

And that's exactly what the friendship of Helen is all about, whose generosity and kindness made me think I am valuable as a person. She is just one of my fewest friends who can tolerate my stubbornness, who really  accepted my shortcomings and who gave me moral support during the lowest point in my life. But she would rectify me if I did something wrong or if she thinks I am going down below to what is being expected in a person which I appreciated very much. Friends should not only there for you in good times but also through bad times, somebody who would never leave you, would never doubt you and would value you more as a person.

It's her birthday yesterday and since she is not here and could not give her a present, the least I can do is just extend my warm wishes and thanks through a blog post of how wonderful she is.

I met Helen way back in college, hmmm some 15 years ago hehe, but we only became good friends when we worked together in the same university in 1998. Then we became super close friends, relying on her when worries in life overwhelmed me, when I had so many troubles in life, confiding all my anxieties and impossible heartaches. She's one of my few friends whom I can truly trust and whom all my secrets are safe. 

Helen is full of wisdom and her kindness is simply amazing. The first time I resigned from my job I went home but when frustrations made me think I was so useless and so ignorant, I sent letters to her and confided all my resentments in life, then she would send me fantastic advises and steered me back to believing in the power of prayers which I always find very inspiring.

with Rowie and Helen during our Baguio retreat in 2008

Often times I would miss Helen and her company, back then we would find time to go out, we would sometimes take a hike to Pink Sisters and would pray in silence. We've so many things in common, we shared the same belief and principles in life. I often looked up to her when it comes to being so prayerful and honest (toinkz). In 2009, she quit her job in the university and went to UAE and felt like I lost someone who had been my truest friend in life.

When she took a vacation last June, we spent quality time together talking stuff we missed and sharing important priorities in life. We talked about losing "enthusiasm" in our respective...uhmmm...love life hahaha! Not that we lost interest in falling in love, but maybe priorities in life just changed as we "progressed", shifting gear to a more mature approach and planning life realistically..that genuine happiness never relies on a certain state or vocation or whatever, that happiness is simply an attitude of the mind. 

I am hoping we could still spend good time together while we're still single hehehe...and on the occasion of her thirty something birthday, I wished Helen the best of everything in life: happiness, health, contentment, success and safety in UAE. I treasured her friendship everyday as if it is one of the grandest things I ever received in my life, her humility, kindness and generosity and the great influenced she had on me. 

Happy Birthday Helen and hope to see you again in the years to come!^____^